Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • C09B—ORGANIC DYES OR CLOSELY-RELATED COMPOUNDS FOR PRODUCING DYES, e.g. PIGMENTS; MORDANTS; LAKES
  • C09B67/00—Influencing the physical, e.g. the dyeing or printing properties of dyestuffs without chemical reactions, e.g. by treating with solvents grinding or grinding assistants, coating of pigments or dyes; Process features in the making of dyestuff preparations; Dyestuff preparations of a special physical nature, e.g. tablets, films
  • C09B67/0097—Dye preparations of special physical nature; Tablets, films, extrusion, microcapsules, sheets, pads, bags with dyes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • C09B—ORGANIC DYES OR CLOSELY-RELATED COMPOUNDS FOR PRODUCING DYES, e.g. PIGMENTS; MORDANTS; LAKES
  • C09B67/00—Influencing the physical, e.g. the dyeing or printing properties of dyestuffs without chemical reactions, e.g. by treating with solvents grinding or grinding assistants, coating of pigments or dyes; Process features in the making of dyestuff preparations; Dyestuff preparations of a special physical nature, e.g. tablets, films
  • C09B67/0071—Process features in the making of dyestuff preparations; Dehydrating agents; Dispersing agents; Dustfree compositions
  • C09B67/0072—Preparations with anionic dyes or reactive dyes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • C09K—MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • C09K11/00—Luminescent, e.g. electroluminescent, chemiluminescent materials
  • C09K11/02—Use of particular materials as binders, particle coatings or suspension media therefor

Definitions

• Marine dye compositions have been used in a number of applications to mark the location of crashed aircraft, life rafts and military equipment, for example rockets.
• Life preservers used in aircraft in particular have been provided with a fluorescein dye placed in a cotton bag.
• the bag was sufficiently porous to allow water to seep through and dissolve the fluorescein dye.
• the disadvantages associated with using this system are as follows: 1. The bag could be easily ripped and the dye lost prematurely.
• U.S. Patent No. 3,263,012 discloses a composition which purports to overcome these problems.
• the composition disclosed comprises a fluorescein compound bound in a matrix of polyvinyl alcohol resin containing glycerine and borax.
• the composition is pressed into a cake and made into a relatively thin plate like object.
• the principal object of the invention disclosed in this U.S. patent is to supply a composition that provides a controlled release of dye into water over an extended period of time, for example up to 45 days.
• the purpose of the glycerine is said to be to swell the polyvinyl alcohol resin and to dissolve the dye thereby permitting the dye to diffuse into the resin and to be encapsulated in the resin matrix.
• the specification states that the glycerine partially controls the rate of diffusion of the dye from the polyvinyl alcohol matrix into the water when the device is ejected into the sea. The more glycerine the greater the rate of emission of dye into the water.
• borax appears to be for the purpose of maintaining the cohesive strength of the resin matrix.
• the Royal Australian Navy identified the need for a marine dye composition which could be used to locate a submarine launched pyrotechnic signal (SLMPS).
• An object of the present invention is to provide a composition that is capable of releasing dye on the surface of water for a period up to thirty minutes. Accordingly, the present invention provides a marine dye composition comprising a water soluble or dispersible dye, a density controlling means that enables the relative density of the composition t ⁇ be adjusted by variation of its content in the composition and a water soluble or dispersible binding agent for binding the composition together. Suitable dyes include Fluorescein LT marketed by ICI Australia.
• Another suitable dye composition is known as "Seamarker Dye Composition” and consists of a mixture of three dye Cl acids; Red 51, Red 50 and Yellow 73. The predominantly red colouration of this marker comes from the sodium salt of rhodamine disulphonic acid. The sodium salt of fluorescein may also be used.
• Suitable density controlling means may comprise any means for introducing permanent air pockets into the composition. This may be achieved with microballoons of a plastics material such as polyethylene or phenol formaldehyde. Microballoons having a bulk density of approximately .01 g/cc are preferred. Microballoons made from polyethylene are particularly preferred.
• Preferred binding agents include water soluble derivatives of cellulose such as sodium carboxy methyl cellulose. Grades of sodium carboxy methyl cellulose are available with varying degrees of solubility. This is regulated by the degree of substitution of the polar groups by carboxy methyl groups. The rate at which the dye dissolves in sea water can therefore be determined by selecting an appropriate grade of sodium carboxy methyl cellulose. Polyvinyl alcohol may also be used as a binder.
• polyvinyl alcohol is not a preferred binder because it was found to be rather messy and time consuming to use.
• compositions of the present invention can be adjusted such that it is about 1. Such compositions float at the surface and maximize the aerial visibility of dye dissolved from the composition. Compositions that rapidly provide a patch of dissolved dye on the water surface can also be produced. This can be particularly useful when trying to attract the attention of aircraft especially from a life raft. Dye spots can be produced within 10 minutes that are visible from a distance of up to 5 km.
• composition of the present invention may be packaged and displayed in a variety of ways depending on the proposed use. Small granules or pellets may be inserted into a vial for attachment to a lift jacket. For use as an aerial marker the composition may be formed into larger pellets and packed in bags or containers made of a water soluble material such as polyvinyl alcohol. Bags made from a film of polyvinyl alcohol have been found to be particularly useful. The composition may be packed into the bag and the bag entrance heat sealed to store the composition for use. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying examples. Example 1
• Fluorescein LT is dried in an oven at 100 C for twenty-four hours. It is then sieved using a B.S.S.
• the sodium carboxy methyl cellulose is dissolved in water to a concentration of 3 g per 100 ml.
• the glycerol is added to the solution whilst continuing to stir for a further five minutes.
• the fluorescein is mixed with the microballoons and the solution of sodium
• the SCMC sample is first pre-wetted with ethanol then dissolved in water, stirring whilst heating. When fully dissolved the mixture takes on a viscous "clag-like" appearance and is added while still warm to the dye and microballooon admix and thoroughly blended into a runny paste.
• the mixture is then poured onto non-stick trays to a thickness of approximately 3-5 mm and dried at 40 C for 72 hours.
• the semi-dried cake is inverted to allow proper drying of the reverse side (approximately 48 hours).
• the cake is then broken into smaller, more manageable sizes and dried at 105°C + 5 C to remove residual moisture (approximately 48 hours). Once dried the cakes can be broken into the required size
• the sieved BSS 100 sample (vii) also gave a good initial signal but the grains could be seen to sink to the sea-bed.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Processes Of Treating Macromolecular Substances (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=3773739

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (5)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1989
  • 1989-12-21 NZ NZ23191689A patent/NZ231916A/en unknown
• 1990
  • 1990-01-05 WO PCT/AU1990/000005 patent/WO1990010044A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1990-01-05 EP EP19900901511 patent/EP0459986A4/en not_active Ceased
  • 1990-01-05 CA CA 2047225 patent/CA2047225A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events